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Origin and history

The Chazerat fountain was erected in Riom from 1777, at the location of the old Layat gate of the medieval ramparts. The latter, demolished in 1779, provided the necessary stones for its construction. The architect Attiret de Mannevil designed the plans and supervised the works, which lasted four years. The structure consists of three retaining walls and a double-fly staircase, incorporating a central fountain.

In 1781 Attiret presented an ambitious project including an access ramp to compensate for the steep elevation of the site. Approved by the king's council in February 1782 and initialled by intendant Chazerat, the site began in April 1782 under the direction of a local contractor. The work was completed in December 1784, and a commemorative plaque was affixed in 1788. From 1873, the architect Agis-Léon Ledru began work on the elevation.

The fountain and its staircase were protected under the Historic Monuments in 1925 and 1987 respectively. Initially, two monumental pillars had replaced the Layat Gate between 1750 and 1760, but they were destroyed in 1778 to give way to this new urban development. Today, the monument belongs to the municipality of Riom and is located in the Place Jean-Soanen.

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